Apparatus for circulating liquids in tanks.



No. 758,513. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904. G. E. DUNTON.

APPARATUS POR CIRGULATING LIQUIDS IN TANKS.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov. z5, 190s.

N0 MODEL.

m 5% Mm.

UNITED STATES Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

GEORGE E. DUNTON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

SECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No.47 58,513, dated April 276, 1904:.

Original application filed September 1903, Serial No. 17 3,27 3. Divided and this application filed November 25 1903. Serial To all whom, t may con/cern:v

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. DUNTON, a

, citizenoi' the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented ycertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Circulating Liquids in Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for continually and thoroughly agitating all kinds of liquids in tanks or other receptacles, but is more especially designed for use in continually circulating and thoroughly agitating -depositing solutions in all kinds of electrolytic baths in a definite direction.

This application isa division of an applica` tion filed by me September l5, 1903, Serial No. 173,27 3, for improvements in apparatus for circulating liquids in tanks.

It has for its object to provide an apparatus which will li-i't the heavier and acid portions of the liquid from the bottom to the top of the tank, continually moving it, and thereby `insuring a thorough incorporation throughout the whole body of the liquid, not allowing the said acidulated and heavier liquid to lie.

at the bottom of the tank, as would be the case if such circulation and thorough agitation were not continually going on, and at the same time not disturbing the sediment at the bottom of the tank.

' It further has for its object to make the deposits of the metal at the cathodes finer in grain and tougher in texture, to render the time of the deposits shorter, to keep the solution from becoming heated in the process of working, and to provide an apparatus with a pum por pumps, the discharge-nozzles of which .are located preferably at or near the upper portion oi' the tank.

My invention is especially adapted to the deposition of the copper shells used in electrotyping and in which the anodes and cathodes are arranged crosswise of the tank and (No model.)

the discharge-nozzles'of the outlet-pipes are arranged to direct the liquid across'the tank between the anodes and cathodes. It is also equally applicable to the deposition of all metals as used in plating and in the electrolytic refining of metals.

My invention consists of a containing-tank for the liquid composing the electrolytic bath, having means for imparting a edefinite and continuous circulating or approximately circular motion ofthe solution'to force it around the tank and around and between the anodes Vand cathodes, said means comprising, preferably, a pair of centrifugal pumps or' the turbine pattern; but they may be of any other pattern which is capable of doing the required work, and one pump with'several dischargenozzles can be used equally as well as the two Y pumps, said pumps having suitable inlets or inlet-strainers near the lower ends of the suction-pipes and outlet-pipes discharging at' a point just below the level of the liquidcontained in the tank, some of said outlet-pipes discharging on onel side of the tank and the other outlet-pipes discharging onthe oppova detail view, of one of the pumps.

In the drawings, in which like numerals of reference denote like parts throughout the several views, l designates an electrolytic or containing tank, having anodes 2 and cathodes 3 arranged transversely-otI the same and supported on rods or bars 4 by means of links 5. Located at one end and at the top of the tank are centrifugal turbine-pumps Gand 7 having casings 8 and 9, respectively, said casing 8 having a pipe l() leading therefrom, which eX- tends along one side of the tank and is provided with laterally and inwardly projecting nozzles 11, 12, and 13, designed to discharge liquid across the tank, and said casing 9 hav.

ing a pipe 14 leading therefrom along the opposite side of the tank from the pipe 1() and provided with laterally and inwardly projecting nozzles 15, 16, and 17. designed to discharge liquid across the tank in an opposite direction from the discharge of the nozzles 11, 12, and 13, said nozzles 11, 12, and 13 and 15, 16, and 17 being alternately disposed and diminishing in size from the pumps to the end of the tank-that is, the nozzles 13 and 17 are smaller than the nozzles 12 and 16 and the nozzles 12 and 16 are smaller than nozzles 11 and 15, which gives an equal or approximately even discharge of the electrolyte from the several nozzles both in velocity and in volume, so that the action between the several sets of anodes and cathodes is approximately the same. The discharge from the nozzles at one side of the tank is in an opposite direction from those of the opposite side and is between the alternate sets of anodes and cathodes, which gives to the liquid a compound centripetal motion in the form of well-defined elongated ellipses, the motion being around and between each set of anodes and cathodes. Besides thecentripetal motion there will be a gradual drawing of the liquid from the top to the bottom of the tank, which presents a great advantage. The pumps being at the top of the tank and the seat of disturbance farther from the points of inlet, the pumps may be operated at a great rate of speed without disturbing any of the sediment which is often found at the bottom of the tanks.

The operation is as follows: The electrolytic bath having been properly prepared and the pumps set in motion by starting the motor, the heavy solution is drawn in through the lower ends of the suction-pipes from the bottom of the tank at one end and discharges through nozzles of pipes 10 and 14, this operation being continuous and causing the solution to move around the tank between the anodes and cathodes perpendicular to the direction of the electric current in its passage from the anodes to the cathodes, and a downward motion gives excellent results and not only prevents polarization at the cathode, and thereby prevents the retarding of the deposition of the metal, but prevents the escape of the valuable gaseous elements of the electrolytic deposition from rising and escaping to the atmosphere as they reach both anode and cathode. by drawing them down into the solution at the time of development while they are in their nascent state and free to unite with the other elements of the solution, performing their respective functions at the right moment-that is to say, the water contained in the electrolytic bath is split up into its two constituent elements by the action of the electric current acting as a chemical agent. The oxygen appears and is attracted to the anode, for which it exhibits a very marked afiinity 1n its nascent or newly-formed state, 65

having the property of uniting with the metal in the formation of an oxid of the metal covering the surface of the exposed anodeplate. This oxid is soluble in the electrolyte only during the period of chemical action in the bath-zi. e., during the passage of the electric current. During this period of action it can replace the two atoms of hydrogen contained in the acidulated water in its immediate vicinity, forming a sulfate of the metal of the anode. Vith the quiescent bath it is possible for the oxid of copper to form on the anode-plate to such an extent that it will retard the action of the electric current by obstructing its passage, as the oxid is a poor conductor. As the current cannot act through this barrier, it continues increasing the thickness of the oxid until all action ceases and what oxygen is produced finds its way up to the atmosphere above the tank. By my improvements the agitation carries the gas (oxygen) away from the anode and down into the solution, and it washes the oxid of the metal from the anode-plate fast as formed, carrying it out into the solution, where it has more range to unite with the hydrogen, which it replaces in the formation of the sulfate of the metal. It will at once become evident that the range of action is -much greater than when confined to the immediate surface of the anode-plate. At the cathode in the quiet bath there is an excess of hydrogen, especially if the current is at an increased voltage, and being developed in two volumes to one of oxygen at the anode it is produced with greater rapidity than it or the free oxygen in the front of the cathode can absorb or unite with it in the formation of water, it forms in excess on the face or surface of the cathode, retarding the passage of current at this point as it increases in volume, and being very light it passes up through the solution, escaping in volume above the solution and is lost. It prevents the accumulation of hydrogen on the surface of the cathode and by the downward movement of the liquid not only washes the accumulation of gas from the surface of the cathode, but it draws it down into the liquid, prevents it escaping to the atmosphere above the tubs, and increases its range of action by carrying it from the cathode at the moment of its formation, when it will readily unite with the surrounding oxygen in the formation of water.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be lnade in the features of construction and arrangement on the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope lfO IIO

of my invention and improvements. I there- 4fore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the' in tanks or other receptacles comprising pipesV extending along opposite sides of said tank having alternately-disposed nozzles designed to discharge liquid toward the center of the tank, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of liquids, comprising a tank provided with pipes on its opposite sides and extending along the upper portion thereof, said pipes having alternately-disposed nozzles in the same horizontal plane, designed to discharge liquid in a direction toward the center of the tank, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of liquids, comprising a tank provided with pipes extending along the upper portion of the same on opposite sides thereof, said .pipes having nozzles arranged in alternate order designed to discharge liquid in a direction toward the center of the tank, substantially as described.

` 4. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of the liquids composing an electrolytic bath, comprising a tank, pumps provided with suctionpipes, and pipes having alternately-disposed nozzles at the top of the tank, substantially as described.

5. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of liquids, comprising a tank having a series of sets of anodes and cathodes arranged transversely of the same, pipes extending along each side and at the upper portion of the tank each pipe provided with a number of rnozzles designed to discharge liquid at the opposite ends of the alternate sets of anodes and cathodes, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of liquids, comprising a tank provided with pipes on opposite sides thereof, connected to a suitable pump and provided with a series of alternately-disposed nozzles of varying sizes, substantially as described.

7. An apparatus for producing continual and definite agitation and circulation of liquids, comprising a tank provided with a number of sets Yof anodes and cathodes arranged transversely thereof, pipes on opposite sides of said tank connected `to a suitable pump and designed to discharge liquid at the opposite endsof the alternate sets of anodes and cathodes,V substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I'have aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. DUNToN.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. OBRIEN, WALTER HILL. 

